Shopping bag convertible to a toy



Nov. 5, 1957 E. D. SWANN SHOPPING BAG CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1955 FIG. 1

INVEN TOR.

ERWIN D. SWANN BY J ATTORNEY Nov, 5, 1957 I E. D. SWANN 2,811,807

SHOPPING BAG CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Filed April 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

ERwm D.. SWANN ATTORNEY I Nov. 5, 1957 E. D. SWANN 2,811,807

SHOPPING BAG CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Filed April 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

' ERWIN D. SwANN ATTORNEY Nov. 5, 1957 E, sw N 2,811,807

SHOPPING BAG CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Filed April 28, 1955 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.5

67/ 67 ERWIN D. SWANN ATTORNEY United States 1 2,811,807 SHOPPING BAG CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Erwin D. Swann, New York, N. Y.

Application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 504,481

8 Claims. (Cl. 46-11) The invention relates to a novelty shopping bag which, with an associated and preferably conforming insert, is readily convertible into a puppet having movably interconnected body and limb elements.

In accordance with the present invention, at least one wider face of a shopping bag is suitably outlined or decorated to represent the body, head, and portions of the limbs of a known childhood character or figure; e. g. a Mother Goose character such as Humpty Dumpty for example. The narrower or side walls and bottom of the bag are formed with perforated tear lines to form slots for receiving limb elements of the figure.

These limb elements are outlined on a flat insert of cardboard or similar material having a shape preferably conforming to the folded shopping bag and included therein as furnished to the shopper. The limb elements may be outlined by cut lines or lines of perforations to perrnit punching of the elements from the insert. The insert may also carry instructions for assembling the figure, and suitable advertising matter if desired.

The cut out or punched out limb elements are assembled to the body element by insertion through the slots in the bag, being suitable headed for retention in projecting relation to the bag. Two-part limb elements are formed with punch holes for pivotal interconnection by suitable means such as paper fasteners.

As a further feature, the puppet may be more sharply defined by forming a perforated outline for the body and head element so that it may be punched out of the bag face, after which the limb elements may be pivoted thereto by paper fasteners. Strings may be attached to the limb elements for manipulation thereof by tying the string ends to a suspension bar or rod.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description to a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a shopping bag embodying the invention, showing the limb elements mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the insert;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of a manipulable puppet using the punched out figure;

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. l, of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of the insert used for the bag of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a shopping bag embodying the invention is illustrated as of the type normally foldable flat for compact storage but opening to a substantially rectangular shape. Bag 10, when opened, has a flat bottom wall 11, flat side walls 12, a flat rear wall (not shown) and a fiat front face or wall 15. Handles 16 are secured to the upper ends of the front and rear walls in the usual manner.

For a purpose to be described front face is formed with an upwardly extending perforated tear line 13 ad- 2,811,867 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 jacent each side wall 12, and with spaced, aligned horizontal tear lines 14 adjacent bottom Wall 11. Face 15 is also imprinted with the body and head of a suitable figure, as at 20, and the figure may be outlined by a perforated punch out line 17. The figure 20 may, for example, be Humpty Dumpty. I

When shopping bag 10 is received by the customer, it contains an insert 25 of cardboard or other suitable relatively stiif material. This insert has bevelled lower corners 21 so as to fit conformingly into bag 10, and is formed with perforated tear or punch out lines defining upper arms 22, forearms 23 and feet 24. Upper arm cutouts 22 are formed with heads or enlargements 26, and feet 24 are formed with heads or enlargements 27. The upper arms 22 and forearms 23 are also formed with punch out pivot portions, as at 28, for pivotal interconnection to each other.

The face of insert 25 is also marked with instructions, as in the space 31, and diagrams 32 for assembling the puppet. Space 33 may contain an advertisers name and space 34 suitable advertising matter.

The shopping bag 10, as furnished to a customer or purchaser, is used in the usual manner. After its contents have been removed, tear lines 13 and 14 are opened to form slots. Arms 22, 23 and feet 24 are punched from insert 25. Upper arm cutouts 22 and feet 24 are then inserted through the slots 13 and 14, respectively, from the inside of the bag, enlargements 26 and 27 limiting the outward movement. Fore arms 23 are then pivotally attached to upper arms 22 by paper fasteners 35 inserted through openings 28. The puppet is thus completely assembled.

To make a more realistic appearing puppet, body 20 can be servered from bag front face 15 by tearing along perforated tear line 17. Upper arms 22 and feet 24 are then pivotally attached to the body by paper fasteners 36 and 37, the limb cutouts lying partially behind body cutout 20. Strings 33 may then be connected to forearms 23 and feet 24 and attached to support rod or bar 40 for manipulation of the puppet as shown in Fig. 3. This same string and rod arrangement can be used with the arrangement of Fig. 1.

In the modified bag 50 of Fig. 4, perforated tear lines 53 are formed in front face adjacent the bevelled corners joining bottom edge 51 to side edges 52. Another perforated tear line 54 is formed in face 55 at one side 51 adjacent the open top of bag 50 having handle 56 extending therefrom. Face 55 is decorated, as at 57, to indicate a saddle and stirrup.

As in the first embodiment, bag 50 is furnished with a substantially flat insert 60 of relatively stiff material conforming substantially in shape to the front and rear faces of the bag. Insert 69 has perforated tear lines defining a horse or donkey head 61 having an enlarged inner end 62, front legs 63 having an enlarged inner end 64, rear legs 65 having enlarged inner end 66, and a plurality of tails 67 having hook inner ends 68.

The head, limb and tail cutouts are punched from insert 60. Head 61 is inserted through the slot formed by upper corner tear line 53, front legs piece 63 is inserted through the slot formed by the other tear line 53, and rear legs piece 65 is inserted through the slot formed by tear line 54. The assembly now has the appearance of a horse or donkey, as may be seen in Fig. 4.

Each of the appendage forming pieces 61, 63, 65 is formed with a punch out cut 71 so that paper fasteners may be pushed through similar cuts in bag 50 and those in pieces 61, 63, 65 to pivotally connect the latter to the bag. Strings 75 are then attached to inner corners of the pieces 61, 63, 65 and brought out through the top of the bag. By pulling the strings, the head and limbs may be animated.

This embodiment of the invention may be used in a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game by fastening bag 50 on a wall or door and giving each blindfolded player a tail 67. Each player, in turn, tries to hook the tail onto handle 56 of the bag.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed:

1. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a shopping bag having a front wall and a back wall connected to said front wall along the side and bottom edges of the bag to form an open top receptacle; said front wall having a pair of generally upright tear lines each adjacent a side edge and intermediate the top and bottom edges, and a pair of transversely aligned and spaced tear lines adjacent the bottom edge; said front wall having outlined thereon the body portion of a puppet figure; said upright and transverse tear lines being operatively located to form slots receiving limbs extendable in conforming relation from said body portion; and a substantially flat insert of relatively stiff material having a conforming fit within said bag, as provided for shopping purposes, and having tear lines outlining limb elements of the puppet figure; whereby said insert may be removed from the bag, and the limb elements punched out therefrom along their outlining tear lines and inserted through slots formed by the tear lines in the bag front wall to complete the puppet.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a shopping bag having a front wall and a back wall connected to said front wall along the side and bottom edges of the bag to form an open top receptacle; said front wall having a pair of generally upright tear lines each adjacent a side edge and intermediate the top and bottom edges, and a pair of transversely aligned and spaced tear lines adjacent the bottom edge; said front wall having outlined thereon, by a tear line, the body portion of a puppet figure; said upright and transverse tear lines being operatively located to form slots receiving limbs extendable in conforming relation from said body portion; and a substantially flat insert of relatively stiff material having a conforming fit within said bag, as provided for shopping purposes, and having tear lines outlining limb elements of the puppet figure; whereby said insert may be removed from the bag, and the limb elements punched out therefrom along their outlining tear lines and inserted through slots formed by the tear lines in the bag front wall to complete the puppet.

3. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said limb elements have inner ends longer than the associated slots.

4. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a shopping bag having a front wall and a back wall connected to said front wall along the side and bottom edges of the bag to form an open top receptacle; said front wall having a pair of generally upright tear lines each adjacent a side edge and intermediate the top and bottom edges, and a pair of transversely aligned and spaced tear lines adjacent the bottom edge; said front wall having outlined thereon the body portion of a puppet figure; said upright and transverse tear lines being operatively located to form slots receiving limbs extendable in conforming relation from said body portion; a substantially flat insert of relatively stiff material having a conforming fit within said bag, as provided for shopping purposes, and having tear lines outlining a pair of upper arm elements, a pair of lower arm elements, and a pair of foot elements of the puppet figure; whereby said insert may be removed from the bag, and the limb elements punched out therefrom along their outlining tear lines and inserted through slots formed by the tear lines in the bag front wall to complete the puppet.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 in which said upper arm and foot elements have inner ends longer than the associated slots.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 in which said upper and lower arm elements have punchouts for pivotal interconnection by paper fasteners.

7. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a shopping bag having a front wall and a back wall connected to said front wall along the side and bottom edges of the bag to form an open top receptacle; said front wall having a pair of generally upright tear lines each adjacent a side edge and intermediate the top and bottom edges, and a pair of transversely aligned and spaced tear lines adjacent the bottom edge; said front wall having outlined thereon, by a tear line, the body portion of a puppet figure; said upright and transverse tear lines being operatively located to form slots receiving limbs extendable in conforming relation from said body portion; a substantially flat insert of relatively stiff material having a conforming fit within said bag, as provided for shopping purposes, and having tear lines outlining a pair of upper arm elements, a pair of lower arm elements, and a pair of foot elements of the puppet figure; whereby said insert may be removed from the bag, and the limb elements punched out therefrom along their outlining tear lines and inserted through slots formed by the tear lines, and said body portion punched from the bag front wall along its outlining tear line, for connection of said arm and foot elements to said body portion to complete the puppet.

8. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a shopping bag having a front wall and a back wall connected to said front wall along the side and bottom edges of the bag to form an open top receptacle; said front wall having a pair of generally upright tear lines each adjacent a side edge and intermediate the top and bottom edges, and a pair of transversely aligned and spaced tear lines adjacent the bottom edge; said front wall having outlined thereon, by a tear line, the body portion of a puppet figure; said upright and transverse tear lines being operatively located to form slots receiving limbs extendable in conforming relation from said body portion; a substantially flat insert of relatively stiff material having a conforming fit within said bag, as provided for shopping purposes, and having tear lines outlining a pair of upper arm elements, a pair of lower arm elements, and a pair of foot elements of the puppet figure; whereby said insert may be removed from the bag, and the limb elements punched out therefrom along their outlining tear lines and' inserted through slots formed by the tear lines, for pivotal connection of said upper arm and foot elements to said body portion by paper fasteners to complete the puppet; said upper and lower arm elements having punchouts for pivotal interconnection by paper fasteners.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,205,386 Perenyi et al. Nov. 21, 1916 1,601,566 Elliott Sept. 28, 1926 1,743,572 Schurr Jan. 14, 1933 2,083,000 Bennard June 8, 1937 2,197,451 Eaton Apr. 16, 1940 2,314,744 Warren Mar. 23, 1943 2,723,488 Ringler Nov. 15, 1955 

